Teacher
of the Ladino language (written and spoken), culture, and folklore. Collection
and documentation of oral folklore. The analysis of both written and spoken
narrative with the goal of preserving the culture.

Matilda
Koen-Sarano was born in Milan (Italy) in 1939 to a Sephardic family from
Turkey. Her grand-father, Moshe, was born in Bergama (Turkey) in 1874.
Her father Alfredo, and her mother Diana Hadjes, were both born in Aydin
(Turkey). Her father lived in Rhodes till 1925, and her mother in Izmir
(Turkey) till 1938. Her parents were married in Milan in 1938. During
the Second World War the family was hidden in the Italian mountains to
escape the Nazi persecutions. Her father was the Secretary of the Jewish
Community of Milan from 1945 until 1969.

Matilda
married in 1960 to Aharon Cohen, now the Director General of The National
Authority for Ladino and its Culture, and soon moved to Israel. She has
lived in Jerusalem since 1962.

She
is a mother of three and grand-mother of eight. She made her studies in
the Jewish Community School and the University in Milan. In 1979 she participated
in a Seminary for Radio programs in Judeo-Spanish for Kol Israel (The
Israeli Radio Agency) in Jerusalem. She received her B.A. in Italian Literature,
Judeo-Spanish and Folklore in 1987 at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
She worked for 23 years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem
(1974-1997) and now is retired.

The
essential activity of Matilda Koen-Sarano is found in the field of the
conservation and the preservation of the Judeo-Spanish language, culture,
and folklore; this she feels is he mission of her life, because she escaped
from the holocaust, and is a survivor.

Teaches
the Judeo-Spanish language at the Ben-Gurion University in the Negev,
(since 1996) and Judeo-Spanish folk-tales in the Midreshet Amalia Jerusalem
(since 1991); She also teaches a Course for Ladino Teachers, organized
by The National Authority for Ladino and its Culture, in Jerusalem, (since
1998).

She
writes the Judeo-Spanish News at Kol Israel (The Israeli Radio Agency)
twice a week (since 1995); and has a weekly program of Judeo-Spanish folk-tales
and songs (1996). She also has been conducting other programs, such as
tales, songs, and Sephardic / Italian folklore (since 1985)

She
writes for the Judeo-Spanish Review Aki Yerushalayim, (since 1979),
and for the Review Los Muestros in Brussels (since 1990); has also
published many scientific articles in Israel and abroad.

Appears
as a storyteller all over the country and abroad, alone or with the singers
Betty Klein, Nurit Henig and Moty Abramov. She volunteers her time in
schools and old folks homes.

Established
a monthly club of storytellers of Judeo-Spanish in Jerusalem (1987), and
the winter club in Vini kantaremos with the singer Betty Klein, to teach
Judeo-Spanish songs (1995).

Has
participated since 1988 in 16 international congresses and in many national
congresses about Judeo-Spanish language, culture and folklore.

Produced
herself in Argentina (in 1992 and 1999), in Mexico (in 1996 and 1998)
and in Uruguay (in 1999) in the field of the Judeo-Spanish language, culture
and folklore diffusion. Gave courses for teachers and pupils (Mexico City)
and was present at the representation of her musical comedy Sefaradis
de dor en dor by the Colejio Sefaradi pupils (1998).